I Love The Power of Clothes

At Leneuf34, we believe in style stories and we love to hear from our community to see how they flex their style attitude. In a sea of seemingly similar Instagram influencers, it’s easy to become a stereotypical fashion account—and so we decided to do a deep-dive to find out how style reflects who we are.

We caught up with Aida Bennani, a style blogger, YouTuber, and student at Esmod and ISEM Paris, to find out more about her journey to cultivating her own unique style story.

When did you first realize the importance of fashion?

This is probably cliché, but i've always loved clothes since I was a kid. I love the power they have and the way they can make you feel. As I grew older, I started to read a lot about Yves Saint Laurent, and that's when my passion really sparked. I fell in love with fashion history and how everything is designed for specific people. I love the fact that we can see a parallel between historical events and the way people dressed. I think fashion contributes a lot to our social development. It's an industry that only some people truly understand. I hate when people belittle "fashion students" or "fashion lovers". They don't understand that fashion is more than just pretty clothes and designer bags, it's a massive and influential industry that everyone is a part of, whether they know it or not. Fashion gives people a way to express their identities.

How do you describe your #stylestory?

There’s this story my mom loves to tell about when I was 5 years old. It was in the middle of a hot summer day, and I absolutely wanted to wear my colorful wool stockings and my favorite red boots. When I came downstairs, my mom said, "Umm, sweetie it's like a million degrees; what are you wearing?" And that's when I took her aside and explained to her that from now on I should get to wear whatever makes me happy and it should be my decision. She thought it was cute and so she just let me be. Ever since, I feel like my outfits should always make me feel confident and strong. My style therefore varies a lot. I go through phases. Sometimes its very feminine, sometimes its rock chic, and sometimes i just love my basics (blue jeans and sneakers). But I try to always love my outfits.

How has your #stylestory evolved over the years?

I think my style has changed in the sense that it's matured a little. I also am more daring with my choices than I used to be. But still, there are a lot of things I used to wear that i would never wear now (like pink boots). I can also feel my taste has changed, I love pantsuits and oversized clothes but I used to not be fond of them.

What do you consider your signature go-to look?

I would definitely say anything monochromic. I love wearing "all-white", "all-pink", "all- denim" etc. I think it's an easy way to look effortlessly put together and stylish. It's one of my favorite things to do when picking an outfit.

Are you someone who wears a style or brands?

I'm not the kind of person who will like something just because it's designer brand. Don't get me wrong, I love designer brands, and I admire creative genius. If I had the buying power, I would definitely do a lot more shopping at the more luxurious brands, but everything I'd buy would be because of my taste and not the fact that it's a brand name. I wear style, I wear what I love, whether it's thrifted or a high street brand. If I'm wearing it, it's because I love it and I had a vision on how to style the item and make it my own. I don't understand the euphoria around buying items just because they are branded. Style isn't something you can buy, it's an attitude.

We love hearing about your style story and seeing your personal style. Share your #StyleStory with us by tagging #LeNeuf34StyleStory on your favorite looks to get a chance to be featured on our Instagram page and a full editorial feature.